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3. Dealer Selection

Last year’s 320-hp SVT Mustang Cobra was long overdue for a power increase-the Camaro SS and Trans Am WS6 routinely embarrassed the Cobra to 60 mph and through the quarter mile. Problem addressed: Try a 390-hp V-8 (comparable thrust to the limited-edition Cobra R’s), with a supercharger, six-speed manual gearbox, and extensive driveline and chassis upgrades. Don’t call it a revolution-even the body modifications are subtle. But pity the Camaro SS driver who mistakes the ’03 SVT Cobra for one of the old models. All this and still priced around $35,000? Sounds like that power payback has finally arrived.

Motor Trend gained early access to Ford‘s elite Special Vehicle Team, which created this new, more powerful Mustang variant, the 10th iteration of the Cobra since SVT started tweaking Mustangs back in 1993. We got the ’03 Cobra on Ford’s high-speed track, with only our nerves and its chief vehicle engineer, John Coletti, to guide us. Then we hit some of Michigan’s winding back roads with Tom Scarpello, SVT’s marketing and sales manager. We’re far enough ahead of the development game that many details remain in flux. That horsepower figure, for example, inched up from 385 shortly before we went to press. Other specs may still change slightly, as well, but remember: You read it here first.

No question, the heart of the new Cobra is its supercharged DOHC 4.6L V-8. The belt-driven Roots-type blower pumps in about 8 psi of boost, and the force-fed 4.6 returns 390 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. That closely matches the power of the naturally aspirated but bigger DOHC 5.4L V-8 in the $55,000 Cobra R. We’ll need our test equipment and a free hand with the car to know how the acceleration compares (we did a 4.4-sec 0-60 in the R-model tested for our April 2000 issue), but note this: The new Cobra has to be electronically limited to 155 mph. It lacks the huge rear-deck wing that sticks the R’s tail to the road. Ungoverned, insiders say, the new SVT Cobra might soar above 175 mph. Indeed, it might literally fly, which is not a good thing.

Our seat-of-the-pants impression is that anything less than a Viper or a Corvette Z06 may be in the slow lane next to the new Cobra. Ford engineers claim it’ll run almost 110 mph in the quarter mile. We’re confident sub-5-sec runs to 60 are entirely possible.

But man does not live by thrust alone. In fact, SVT Cobras have always emphasized handling, and they stand among the fastest-ever street cars through our high-speed slalom test. So we were especially interested to see if SVT had maintained the Cobra’s agility in the ’03 car, despite significant changes in power and weight distribution.

“This is the ultimate Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde car,” explains engineer Coletti. “With it, you get the brute power of the Cobra R with the ride and overall chassis sophistication of the Cobra SVT.”

The plain-talking chief engineer grins broadly as 120 mph comes up on the speedometer. We wonder aloud if the black vinyl camouflage zipped over the test-car’s nose will blow off.

“Nah, we’re fine,” says Coletti. “I’ve had this thing up to 140 with that stuff on. It’s not goin’ anywhere.”

He’s obviously pleased with this new version of the Cobra. It’s come a long way since the first SVT Cobra rolled out in 1993, sporting its 235-hp rating.

Not only does the engine deliver a Niagara of torque immediately from 2000 rpm, but it sounds and behaves as if it’s not breaking any more of a sweat than the perfectly pressed Coletti. The transformed V-8’s push is much like that of a big-block. And there’s little of the typical supercharger whine. Coletti says it’s just good plumbing.

At first glance, it looks as though SVT simply slapped a supercharger on the old V-8, but there are several vital modifications to support the new muscle. Most important, the aluminum block was swapped for one cast in iron. Testing with the light-alloy block allegedly was disastrous (engineers dodge direct questions about just how bad it was), and the iron block is simply described as a “known quantity.” They obviously needed it, so they just had to accept the extra mass. Tougher Manley connecting rods and redesigned pistons also went in. The standard crankshaft was able to handle the power, and thus is carried over.

A new aluminum flywheel and an aluminum driveshaft buy back a little weight, but the iron block, the supercharger, and an intercooler clearly add significant mass, all in the nose. At speed, it does feel like the car’s balance has shifted forward, and we’ll examine that closely when we can do a full test.

Only a sharp-eyed enthusiast will see the subtle differences between blown and unblown Cobras. The new car looks meaner, but still buttoned up. It has slightly bigger openings in the grille, a 0.25-in. drop in height, a fatter hood bulge, and wider wheels and tires. The rear fascia design is also now unique to the Cobra. And the sideview mirrors are now body color and they fold. The new 17-in. wheels are flat-faced, five-spoke alloys available either chromed or satin-surfaced. The new car wears 275/40ZR Goodyear tires versus the 245/45 BF Goodrich rubber fitted last year.

Important if unobvious upgrades benefit the chassis. Bilstein monotube shocks add some refinement, especially in the small deflections caused by expansion strips. There are also higher-rate front springs, a stiffer front anti-roll bar, and a more aggressive rear brake-pad material. A beefy brace reinforces the differential, which carries shorter axle-ratio gears.

Hard driving reveals impressive levels of lateral grip and steering precision. There’s a new, not-unpleasant weight to the car’s overall feel. This is undoubtedly due to the extra mass under the hood, but the SVT engineers have deftly neutralized that potential liability.

Every aspect of the new Cobra seems improved, which is why we wince before asking the price. Our guess is high. The final figure isn’t set, but hints indicate a base price under $35,000. Obviously, that’s not cheap. But the dollars-per-horsepower ratio, at 11.1:1, is among the best you’ll find.

“Automotive history is littered with flagship performance cars where a company took pricing into the stratosphere and alienated the customer base,” says the quiet and articulate sales guy, Scarpello. “We don’t plan to do that.”

The ’03 SVT Cobra is due on sale early this summer, and sometime before that, we’ll get a final-production version to the track and lash on the test gear. Our brief, clandestine encounter left us looking forward to more-more driving, more testing, and more dustings of unsuspecting Camaros.

2003 Ford Mustang News and Reviews

Many factors are involved when we shop for a car – especially a used car. The reputation of the brand, the number of miles, the trim level and the most important to many of us: Price.Today’s Thread of the Day comes from forum member nbg2010 who relates the story of a friend who bought his first car: a used V-6…

It's hard to believe the Mustang and Camaro have been butting heads, burning rubber, and racing for pinks for 35 years. But since there's a 35th-Anniversary Camaro, it must be so. And it's likely to be the swan song for this much-loved shootout -- at least for a while, as the current F-bodies evaporate from the Chevrolet and Pontiac lineups…

It's hard to believe the Mustang and Camaro have been butting heads, burning rubber, and racing for pinks for 35 years. But since there's a 35th-Anniversary Camaro, it must be so. And it's likely to be the swan song for this much-loved shootout -- at least for a while, as the current F-bodies evaporate from the Chevrolet and Pontiac lineups…

The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world, drawing the industry's brightest minds and hottest products together at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Each year, the Specialty Equipment Market Association attracts more than 100,000 industry leaders from over 100 countries in the automotive, truck, SUV, marine, and RV markets. SEMA Show 2005 drew more…